Cuban Ropa Vieja

Cuban Ropa Vieja

'Old clothes' refers to the shredded beef that resembles fabric strips. Slow-braised in a rich tomato-pepper sauce, this is Cuba's national dish.

3 hours
6 servings
Cuba
🌴 Caribbean & Island Flavors

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs flank steak
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 2 bell peppers (one red, one green), sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 cup green olives
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. 1

    Season flank steak and brown in oil in a Dutch oven, 4 minutes per side. Remove.

  2. 2

    Sauté onions and bell peppers until soft, 8 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and paprika, cook 1 minute.

  3. 3

    Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, broth, wine, and bay leaves. Return beef.

  4. 4

    Cover and simmer on very low heat for 2.5 hours until beef shreds easily.

  5. 5

    Remove beef, shred with two forks, return to the sauce. Add olives. Simmer 10 minutes. Serve over white rice with fried plantains.

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